This is Kevin Millar. I'm sure you know all about Kevin Millar, as just about every single blog or media outlet has written a post decrying his continued employment this year. So it will come as no big shock to you that Kevin Millar sucks. Terribly. Awfully.
Split PA AB H HR BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
April/March 38 35 12 1 3 4 .343 .395 .514 .909
May 60 55 12 2 5 12 .218 .283 .364 .647
June 57 50 10 1 7 11 .200 .298 .300 .598
July 50 45 8 1 4 8 .178 .260 .333 .593
August 29 25 6 1 4 5 .240 .345 .440 .785
Sept/Oct 4 2 0 0 2 0 .000 .500 .000 .500
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/4/2009.
Those are Kevin Millar's super swell monthly splits for 2009. Not news, not pretty. (Though the direct link BR stats are, thanks Baseball Reference for not making your tables work with blogger? I'm dumb.) Yet Cito continues to run Kevin Millar out there. With less frequency &mdash though he'll still throw in a pinch hit appearance in 5 run game with the tying run washing his balls in the clubhouse &mdash but he still finds his way in. Why? Because Kevin Millar is a built in "Get out of jail free" card.
How can Cito be held responsible for this mess given the meager tools he has before him? Is it Cito's fault Randy Ruiz wasn't called up until August? Of course not, though it was Cito's idea to start Adam Lind every day. For sure. Cito is made of magic you see, he only gets credit for things that go well while dodging all manner of shit.
Like Stoeten said yesterday, I really like the idea of Cito. But just like going to see movies based on toys of your youth is stupid and regressive, supporting Cito just cause isn't any wiser. It's quite telling that the Jays best hitter by far does so with a very non-Cito/Tennaci approach. Varied spray chart, patient, takes the first pitch almost without fail.
Obviously Cito isn't to blame for all the Jays misery, but at least some guilt must attach itself to the Teflon Glare. The offense is in the tank because the players aren't good enough, but isn't coaching'em up supposed to be his thing? I don't know, it just seems the odd lineup choices are a convenient way of washing one's hands of the whole fiasco.
Just cause...he's awesome.
ReplyDeleteHe's coasting. he can't be gone soon enough for me, and i ain't talkin' about Millar this time.
ReplyDeleteSo are you under the belief that managers do have more influence on a team's win/loss record than maintaining clubhouse harmony and ensuring batters get their at-bats and pitchers their requisite innings?
ReplyDeleteClubhouse harmony by clearly favoring inferior players? Getting at bats like John MacDonald or innings like Dirk Hayhurst?
ReplyDeleteI'm not of that belief, I simply feel all the credit from last year and this spring were undue especially in the face of his beyond reproach perception in the media etc.
I'm guessing they promised Millar a certain amount of playtime when they signed him.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right and it makes me want to become a Giants fan FULL TIME.
ReplyDeleteWould anyone object to that? Giantsrunner on First? The slurping I'd give Timmy would embarrass even the staunchest fanboys.
You keep mentioning the inferior players. Who else would you have liked to see? Obviously Accardo over Hayhurst, but Accardo has clearly pissed someone off. Who instead of J-Mac? You were the one who said Ruiz couldn't hit up here.
ReplyDeleteMillar has $50k bonuses at 200, 250 and 300 PAs, which, to me, is inconsequential. Maybe they'll just get him to 250 (he's at 239) and let him go - to avoid the bad rep with agents of cutting people just prior to bonus clauses being reached.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, I'm with Drew.
It isn't that I don't want to see Hayhurst or MacDonald, I don't want to see them just sit on the roster doing nothing. Early in the season it was Cito's stubborn refusal to jigger with the lineup that "worked", now it is his refusal to get away from guys that aren't contributing.
ReplyDeleteIn the long wrong none of it is too terribly important, I just hate to see anyone get a free pass while everyone around him catches hell.
Early in the season the left side of the infield was absolutely on fire. J-Mac's sitting for that reason. Cito's stubborn refusal with Wells and Rios was due to the fact that he figured it was a slump, not a season long funk. Wells has spent the most time this season in the 4-spot. In front of Adam Lind. Protection. It worked for Wells before, when Delgado was behind him. There's the logic there. Finally, mercifully, when it was clear Vernon 2009 is full of FAIL, he was moved.
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought Scoots would put together a season like this? I'm sure Cito figured to use PMoD at SS, but when the Jays come flying out the gate and Scoots is a big part of it, Scoots isn't going anywhere.
Even though I don't like that Overbay is a platoon player, it was done for a reason. He's batting .194 against lefties. Hello shittacular Kevin Millar.
Now that these jobbers - Millar, Bautista, EE - have to play, it's Cito's refusal to get away from guys that aren't contributing? There are no other options. He's used everyone at his disposal when he's had to.
I don't see Cito getting a free pass. Parkes has been shitting on him since Day 1. Stoeten takes shots at him. The Tao and The Ack both are furious with his moves. I've questioned his ways too. I just don't think he's THE problem. That being said, I don't think there is ONE problem. There are many. Cito can be part of the solution.
Stupid BR tables, I have yet to find a way to copy/paste them in without spending hours altering the HTML to make it look half decent. GAH!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has nothing to do with the aftermath of his comment in '04, but...Millar has a drinking problem. You can see it during on and off days: when he's on he's clean shaven; off and he's bearded and scruffy. The numbers match as well.
ReplyDelete